Building Control Officers and their competency to determine compliance

shane6977

Surely if BCO’s are to be deemed competent to determine compliance, especially when inspecting the target 15% of buildings, then they must be qualified to the same level as Design and Assigned Certifiers and therefore be a registered professional as defined by the Building Control Act 2007?

sydthebeat

shane6977 wrote: »

Surely if BCO’s are to be deemed competent to determine compliance, especially when inspecting the target 15% of buildings, then they must be qualified to the same level as Design and Assigned Certifiers and therefore be a registered professional as defined by the Building Control Act 2007?

haha nice try

shane6977

It's a legitimate question and the issue has been raised at the recent IBCI conference in Sligo:

http://bregsforum.wordpress.com/2014/04/30/building-control-officer-issues-conference-april-2014/

The possible scenario it raises is this:

1. A BCO inspects a building and finds an issue of non-compliance (in his interpretation of the building regs), the Assigned Certifier inspects and disagrees saying in his judgement the building fully complies.
2. The Builder and AC both sign completion cert stating all complies.
3. The BCO refuses the completion cert delaying the occupation of the building.
4. Building owner along with builder and AC go to court arguing their case, claiming that as the AC is a registered professional and has relevant experience, that the AC is the most qualified person to determine compliance.
5. Now the BCO's competence to inspect will be queried, how does the BCO argue his case when the Building Control legislation determines that only certain professionals can be competent to determine compliance?

4Sticks

While it was stated by department officials that the question of the status of self- builders had been clarified by the Minister and that he had made it clear that they could sign completion certificates as “competent builders”, there was little evidence that anyone actually believed that.

Love that

shane6977

Here is a link to the presentation made by Bernadette McArdle at the IBCI conference in which the question of qualifications was raised:

http://www.i-b-c-i.ie/docs/conferences/2014/09_Building_Control_Officers_Perspective_on_BCMS_Bernadette_McArdle.pdf

sydthebeat

it has been suggested that BCOs have to make 4 site visits per project as part of their 15% target.

If the RIAI are suggesting 15-20 for one off houses... even disregarding the competence issue, how can they be expected to determine compliance or not.....

shane6977

4 site visits per project is just not a realistic figure, at that rate the BCO inspections will amount to nothing more than a tick box exercise.

sydthebeat

shane6977 wrote: »

4 site visits per project is just not a realistic figure, at that rate the BCO inspections will amount to nothing more than a tick box exercise.

Why do you think it would be any different?

They are not the certifiers. Their job is to police.

When you get stopped at a checkpoint for tax, they don't check your tyre thread depth. Similarly, I can imagine the bcos having specific targets to check ie wheelchair space adjacent to wc etc.... and won't be checking absolutely everything, because if the do they would then have to assume some responsibility.